The Cat's Meow
by Lady Syndil
Summary: Our Travels are staying at yukko's shop, it's a tad crowded with all of them there. She gets them a job at the green Pharmacy and they go on a date. LD crossover. KuroxFai 2 shot - complete
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I Don't own TRC xxxHolic or LD. But i love mixing them all up together.**

**AN: This is actually 2 chapters (they will be chapters 29 and 30) form my long fic posted on xxxHolic called the Price of Balance. After writing it I realized it could stood pretty well on its own as a kuroxfai fic with slight modifications. **

**Background is that the TRC travelers are currently staying at Yukko's Shop while Watanuki and crew (Minus poor Himiwari are doing the traveling). I think their starting to get on Yukko's nerves.**

The Cat's Meow - Chapter 1

"Wait until I get my hands on YOU, how DARE you sneak in on us while we're in the bath! Where's that video recorder…."

Kurogane was chasing the White Mokona thru the shop and then out into the garden in nothing but a hastily thrown on towel, murder on his mind. Mokona was giggling madly as she bounced like a rubber ball on crack thru the halls of the shop and out into the garden. Yukko drawn by the noise the two were making went to stand in the doorway, the smoke from her pipe lazed about her head as she watched the ensuing antics, idling wondering how the Ninja managed to keep the towel from falling off, must be a Ninja secret of some kind. Fai still somewhat damp and dressed more modestly in a robe, well in comparison to Kurogane's towel that is, joined her.

"Goodness Fai, what is it about this time?"

"Well I was bringing Kuro-tan some Sake while he enjoyed a nice long soak in the tub, and it seems Mokona sneaked into the bath behind me. Unfortunately we didn't realize it for quite some time."

"Is that so?" A large cat grin spread over Yukko's face and she went off to see if she could locate the camcorder, she had magic on her side when it came to locating items of interest and it didn't take her long to find it tossed under a table. Mokona was SO good to her, she thought as she cradled the video recorder to her cheek. Well let's see what lovely footage she had gotten this time…..Ooooo Oh yeah, this was good. Oh my, she hadn't known THAT about the Mage and the Ninja. The giggling Witch went to her bedroom to watch the video in peace and then download it onto her computer and then to the web site she had created for the pair. Seems the Ninja hadn't realized Mokona was in the room until the very end, no wonder he was out for blood.

Sakura and Syaoran were playing scrabble on the porch, when Mokona bounced on by while being chased by the furious and nearly naked Kurogane, Fai-Mommy followed them both the robe he was wearing just about to fall off any minute.

"Kuro-pi, you should put on a robe, think of the children."

"Look Syaoran-kun, I can spell PERVERT with my tiles." Announced a happy Sakura, using a V in her word got her a lot of points.

"Pervert." "Pervert." Chanted Maru and Moro who were watching the game.

"Seriously I SO need to get therapy and soon." Sighed the ever suffering Syaoran as he rubbed his forehead he was starting to get another migraine.

----

A few days later.

"I think you all need to get jobs. Well Kurogane-san and Fai-san at least, Syaoran-kun and Sakura-hime should probably go to High School. In fact I already enrolled you and you start tomorrow, Himiwari-chan pick will you up in the morning and take you there, you'll only be sophomores so you won't have any classes with Himiwari-chan, but at least it's the same High School."

"Excuse me Yukko-san, but is that really necessary? I mean we're not going to be here that long, are we?" Asked the baffled Syaoran, High School, what the heck was High School?

"I'm afraid you are, and staying here in the shop all day everyday isn't good for you (or me). You need to get out and do stuff."

"I have to agree with you Witch-san. I'm not used to being so inactive and cooped up all the time. What do you have in mind?" The dark Ninja had felt the confinement of being in the shop the most of all her guests. Hanging out and drinking Sake everyday was fine for a while, but for a man as physical as the Ninja, well he needed to be 'doing', and at this point he was willing to trying just about anything.

"I'm glad you asked, as it turns out I have a friend who owns a pharmacy (the same one that supplies my hangover medicine actually) he says he could use a hand, two of his employees have decided to take a vacation. I thought you could help Kekai out while Rikuo and Kazahaya are out of town." Actually the two were following a lead on Kazahaya's sister Kei. Yukko glanced to the long case Lissa had left with Fai. He wouldn't find her, it wasn't time yet, but he was moving in the right direction and that time was getting closer.

"That sounds okay with me, when do we start?"

"Tomorrow, oh and try not to kill Osaiga, he can be really annoying but for some reason Kekai is rather fond of him." The Ninja and Mage nodded at Yukko words, both were actually quite glad to be getting out of the shop, Fai worried that Kuro-tan might actually kill Mokona if they stayed cooped up here much longer. Sakura was thrilled that she was going to school, Himiwari had been telling her all about it and it sounded like fun. Syaoran though hadn't been with them on any of their shopping trips so he hadn't heard of school before.

"Yukko-san, can I ask, what is High School?"

-----

High School was hell, that's what it was, Yukko-san was out to get him, he was sure of it now. First off she had made him dress in some crummy 'uniform' the pants were too formal, the shoes were stiff and hurt his feet and everything was black. Sakura looked so cute in her school outfit, it just wasn't fair. Then he'd had to sit for hours on end in an uncomfortable desk listening to some boring teachers talk about boring stuff he didn't give a rat's ass about. And worse of all, Sakura was in another classroom. He didn't get a chance to see her again until lunchtime. He met her and Himiwari-chan under one of the trees that dotted the grounds of the prison known as High School and eat the Bentos Fai-san had made for them.

"Syaoran-kun! We're over here, hurry up slow poke." The cheerful Princess waved the sullen boy over to where they were sitting they had already started digging into the bento boxes.

"Isn't High School wonderful? I've met so many nice people already and I'm learning so much about this world. Next we have something called PE Himiwari-chan says it's way fun, we get to run around and play games."

"Hm, well this PE doesn't sound too bad if I get to do something for a change. Hey, give me my Bento, I'm starved." Well maybe this High School thing wasn't going to be all bad, Sakura was right, they could learn a lot about this world while they were here, maybe he would start listening to those boring teachers tomorrow. Maybe, he wasn't promising anything.

PE turned out to be the best part of Syaoran's whole day, turns out the beings known as teachers didn't just torment you while they had you in their evil clutches they sent some of the torture home with you, they even called it 'Home work'. What was up with that, I mean shouldn't you be able to enjoy the rest of your day once they let you out of the gates of the Prison called High School? But no, he had 'Home work' to do still tonight. It just wasn't fair really it wasn't. He met up with Sakura at the gates and took her book bag so he could carry it for her, first though they were going to go visit Fai and Kurogane at the Pharmacy before they went back to the shop and started on the 'Home work'.

-

It had been a close thing, those first few minutes when Kurogane and Fai had shown up at the Pharmacy to work. Osaiga was sitting in his usual spot by the counter lounging against it casually, at least that's how he looked to most people. Kurogane knew a fighter when he saw one and Osaiga was a strong one. Hooking a finger over the bridge of his sunglasses Osaiga had pulled them down just far enough to get a good look at the two new employee of the Green Pharmacy.

"So you're the ones Yukko sent over to help out Kekai, he stepped out for a minute." Actually Kekai was just in the backroom and hadn't heard the two walk in. Fai left Kurogane's side and went to Osaiga and extended his hand in greeting the way Yukko had showed him people did in that world, she said it was called a 'handshake'. Smiling like a fiend all the while.

"Hi, I'm Fai, Fai D. Flowright, this here is Kuro-tan, and you must be Osaiga, Yukko told us you would probably be here and that Kurogane wasn't supposed to kill you because Kakei would be really mad if he did." Kurogane put a hand to his forehead and started rubbing he was already getting a headache and the day hadn't even started.

"Kurogane, My name is Kurogane you blonde imbecile. Could you at least NOT introduce me to complete strangers using one of your stupid nicknames?"

"But Kuro-Puu it's so CUTE."

(sigh)

Osaiga had been watching the interaction between the pair, at the tall dark Ninja's heavy sigh he started laughing. The tension lifted.

"Oh, gods so your blonde is an Idiot too?"

"You have no idea."

"Oh I think I do, come on Kekai is in the back I'll introduce you. Hey, when the Pharmacy closes, we should all go out on a double date, I know this great bar." Fai's eye lit up.

"What's a Date?" Osaiga stopped on his way to the backroom and turned around and looked at the pair following him, now this was too good to be true. Kekai hearing the voices had come out of the backroom and was carrying out some boxes to stock the shelves.

"Let me get this straight, you two are an item and have never been on a Date? Well now we definitely have to go out, this is going to be so much 'fun'."

"Fun? What's going to be fun Osi-chan. Oh hi there, you must be Yukko-san friends, I'm Kekai." The smaller tawny haired man set down his boxes and extended his hand to the two. Osaiga filled Kekai in and told him that he had invited Kekai's new employees to go on double date with them that night.

It wasn't too surprisingly really that Kurogane got on so well with the solid Osaiga seeing as they both had Idiot blondes to contend with. The blondes, cheerful idiots that they were, became fast friends almost immediately, and spent a lot of the day talking boy talk, whispering and giggling together. The larger Seme males did a lot of sighing over the antics of their slightly silly uke mates. But the Blondes could be serious, very serious when the situation called for it as both the darker men knew. And as the day wore on, Keikai who had been filled in by Yukko-san before she sent the other worlders over told them about the real work that he and Osaiga did, usually with the help of the two teens that were currently out of town.

Sakura and Syaoran stopped by the Pharmacy on their way home from High School, the older pair was just finishing up their day at the pharmacy and so they left with them, promising Osaiga and Kekai that they would meet them later tonight, for their double date. They all headed back to Yukko's shop for dinner. The 'children' had homework to do and Kuro-Daddy and Fai-Mommy were going on their first official date.


	2. Chapter 2

The Cat's meow

When Fai told Yukko that he and Kurogane were going on a double date with Kekai and Osaiga to someplace called the Cat's Meow. She actually leaped from her reclining position on the chaise and began running around the shop. Neither had ever seen her so animated before.

"That's wonderful, the Cat's Meow, hm. Let's see what should you, wear…. Oh I know." Kurogane scowled at Fai as the Dimensional Witch rushed off to her storeroom, he crossed his arms over his chest.

"She's planning to dress us up again isn't she? Well I'm not going out dressed up like a clown just for her enjoyment."

"Oh, Kuro-pi you haven't even seen what she has planned yet."

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of."

In the end Kurogane had to admit the Witch had good taste in clothing. She had dressed him in the Black jeans from his first day in the shop, she paired it with a tight red tank top and a black leather jacket, somehow she had managed to retrieve the leather collars he and Fai had worn on Infinity. It went well with his outfit so he wore it. For Fai, she had dressed him in her signature distressed skinny jeans in a dark blue this time tucked in black leather boots, she had paired it with a sleeveless shirt made of a black mesh like fabric called 'fishnet', besides the collar she had given him a pair of studded black leather wrist bands to wear, it went well with the black patch over his eye. Fai was bouncing as he walked at the tall dark male's side as they went to meet the pair from the pharmacy. They met them out front of the ice cream shop Sakura and Himiwari liked to frequent as it was on the way to the bar. As they got close Osaiga winked and whistled out a cat call to the pair.

"Now those are some serious bar clothes, where'd you get 'em. I thought you guys only just go to this world." He was dressed simply, much like Kurogane was, but he was in Dark blue wranglers with a snug white t-shirt, while Kekai was in light tight blue jeans and a green half shirt that showed most of his stomach off, the pair was sporting sturdy metal choke chains around their throats.

"Yukko-san, she dug these out of her storeroom for us."

"Damn, I think we need to get Yukko to start paying Kekai in clothing for her hangover medicine from now on." Osaiga laughed as the quartet walked the rest of the way to the bar. They reached it in just a few blocks. It was a bit of an eye opener to the other worlders. Bright neon signs and lights, as they entered the dark bar with its jammed dance floor and tables and secluded booths everywhere, it was apparent the place did a brisk business as it was very crowded. The foursome headed to the back bar, where Osaiga and Kekai tended to hangout whenever they came here. Kurogane scanned the crowd both because he was curious and to make sure there was no danger.

The first thing he noticed was that everyone here seemed to be male, from the bartenders and bouncers to all the patrons, drinking and dancing together on the floor. There were several couples making out in corners and some not even bothering with the secluded booths or dark corners. The few women that were here also seemed to be with each other. He still had a little trouble accepting the fact that he was with another guy. Not that he didn't care about Fai, he did (though he hadn't actual said the words yet) and not that there weren't same sex couples in Nihon, he'd just never expected to be one of them. Honestly until he had gone on this journey he really hadn't thought about it one way or the other, he'd only been interested in getting stronger not having a relationship. Not that he hadn't had sex, Kurogane had been no innocent virgin when Princess Tomoyo had sent him away, women had been crawling into his bed since he'd hit puberty. But that had only been sex and nothing more at least not to him.

So he was pretty okay with what Osaiga said was a Gay Bar he didn't feel out of place here with Fai. What he was not okay with was all the looks Fai was getting maybe Yukko's outfit for the slender male was a little too 'hot'. The idiot blonde Mage sure looked delectable in it and it seemed Kurogane wasn't the only one who thought so. When they reached the bar Kurogane grabbed the ring on Fai's collar and bringing his face up to his…

"You do NOT leave my side, is that clear." He then captured the blonde's lips in a passionate kiss, Fai was HIS damnit and all those assholes staring at the slender male's fine tight ass had just better get that thru their thick heads right now.

"Goodness, he's a more than a tad possessive isn't he." Kekai elbowed Osaiga in the ribs as he turned back around with their beers. Osaiga shrugged and kicked the Ninja to get his attention and so he could had him the beers Kekai had gotten for him and the Mage.

"Hey, I think everybody has got the picture. They won't bother him (not after a display like that) not with you and me here, do you think I'd bring Kekai here if I thought just any ole asshole could take him from me." Osaiga was still holding the beer bottles out to the Ninja. Kurogane sighed, closed his eyes a moment as he released the somewhat dazed Fai, he then turned and took the bottles from Osaiga and handed one to Fai.

"Thanks, sorry about that it." Kurogane took a drag of his beer hmm this stuff was pretty good. Fai was getting into the beat of the music, Kekai loved to dance but Osaiga hated it, well except for the slow stuff so he dragged the very willing Fai out onto the dance floor, with promises to their Seme counterparts that they would be right there by the rail and in plain view. Kurogane had thought to say no, but Osaiga held him back.

"Let them go, it's a date their supposed to be having fun and we're right here aren't we, besides did 'you' want to go out there and dance with him? I know I don't want to dance with Kekai, at least not to this fast stuff. Now later, when they start playing the slow stuff well that's a different story. You can dance with Fai then." Osaiga winked at the tall male next to him as they watched their partners as they bounced happily on the dance floor in time to the music.

"You have a point there I'd look pretty silly trying to wriggle around like that."

"So how long have you been together?"

"Huh? Well we met about a year ago but we've only been together a few months, he drove me absolutely crazy at first, with his pet names and constant cheerfulness, but I knew there was more to him than that. He totally got under my skin, I didn't even realize he'd become more to me until one day I exploded and kissed him out of anger just to shut him up. You?"

"It's seems like Kekai and I have always been together, we met in Middle School. I knew from the moment I met him he was the one for me though we didn't start dating until the end of high school." Reaching into his pocket Osaiga drew out a small box opening it he shared it contents with Kurogane. Inside was a pair of rings.

"I've been carrying these around with me for six months. I want to ask Kekai to marry me, but I'm terrified he'll say we can't for some stupid reason like that we're both guys."

"Can't a same sex couple marry in this world? They can back in mine, it's rare but it does happen. I don't know about the world Fai came from, but I suspect being as open as he is there were marriages of that kind."

"There are some very old traditions that bonded two males together and there is still an old marriage ceremony on the books that unites 'couples' to each other, that was often how same sex partners married they would find willing opposite sex partners and then they would all bond together. It allowed for children to be born and for the same sex couples to be together as well."

"hmmm, that information might just come in handy. Fai's in love with his Sister, though I'm not sure 'Love' is a big enough word for what's going on with them."

"EXCUSE ME."

"What, oh she's not actually his Biological sister in fact she used to be his identical twin brother. At least until hhe sacrificed himself to save Fai. Then he came back as a girl."

"Dude, you have me totally lost."

"Order up a couple more beers and I'll tell you what I know." Osaiga got the beers and Kurogane filled him in on the whole Fai/Yuui and now they were Lissa/Fai the two halves of one soul thing."

"Lissa-chan? Doumeki's girl?" Osaiga had met the pretty blonde a couple of times when she had come by with Watanuki and Doumeki to get Yukko-san some Hangover medicine. Osaiga looked out at the happy dancing blonde with his lover, and it hit him no wonder Fai had looked so familiar he was a male version of the pretty blonde blue eyed girl.

"That's the one alright."

"It's uncanny. Except for the color of their eyes if you dressed them up the same you'd never be able to tell the difference." Kurogane smirked at the other male.

"Tell me about, she left in this killer outfit, I'm still debating on whether it's worth one of the Witches prices to get one for Fai." That sent Osaiga into gales of laughter.

Out on the Dance floor the two smaller males smiled at each other as their boyfriends sat at the bar drinking their beers, laughing and talking. Neither noticed or cared that there were other guys checking them out. They walked off the dance floor after a couple more dances and joined the tall dark haired men at the bar. After a few more drinks, Fai sided up to the unusually cheerful looking Ninja and poking him in the cheek he blushed adorably and coo'd.

'Kuro-puu, Kekai says that some slow songs are coming up now and that we should dance."

"Hm, we should, should we? I supposed I can do that."

Kurogane put down his beer and standing up he took the blonde Mage's hand and led him to the dance floor. There had been a couple of other slow songs earlier in the evening and Kurogane had watched the pairs as they had swayed to the music. So he had a good idea of what to do as he headed out on the floor, he gathered the slender blonde close as the music started. For his part Fai was actually surprised that Kurogane was going along with this, he was utterly thrilled of course, but the Ninja had always been somewhat shy about exposing their relationship in public, with a few memorable exceptions. But here in this place, perhaps he felt he could just be together with him. Fai placed his head on Kurogane's shoulder wrapping his arms about the neck of the tall male and sighed happily as he swayed to the music in the arms of the man he had come to love.

"Fai."

"Hmm, yes Kuro-pi?"

"Are you happy?" Fai looked up into the intense red gaze of the Ninja, who placed a hand on the Mages face, his thumb moving up and down his cheek.

"Yes, more than I ever thought possible." The Ninja smiled down at the sweet face in his hand.

"Corwin." Fai gasped as true name of his Soul came from the lips of the man who had seen thru him from the beginning and he had come to love as much as his twin. His face softened even more as he whispered the real name of the Ninja for the first time.

"Youou." Time seemed to pause as their lips sealed the bond between them. Fire and Ice became one, balancing each other out in perfect harmony.

_

It was quite late by the time the slightly tipsy pair made it back to the shop, but Yukko was up and waiting for them.

"Kurogane, Fai could you come here a moment please."

"Tehe Hi, Yukko-san whatcha doing still up? Have you and Mokona been drinking Sake all night again?" The giggling and rather flushed Mage was being supported by the larger male with an arm around his waist.

"No not tonight, well I haven't had too much Sake yet." The Witch grinned one of her Cheshire grins. "I have a gift for you Kurogane."

"Yeah Sure, what's the price Witch-san?" The ever suspicious (and rightfully so) Ninja asked of the Dimensional Witch as she held out a plain brown paper wrapped package to him.

"The price you have already paid with a few simple words. Go ahead take it you can open it once you get to your room."

Lifting a single raven eyebrow over his dark crimson eyes, the Ninja took the package and nodding to the Witch and left with the mage in tow. Once they arrived at the room the Ninja and the Mage were using while they stayed in the shop, the Ninja tore open the brown wrapping from the soft package. Inside was a duplicate of the outfit the Female Mage had been wearing when she left only in a deep royal blue trimmed in silver and white.

" Hey Idiot Mage, go put this on."

"Huh, but I thought the gift was for you?"

"Oh it is, believe me, it is." The Dark Ninja leered at the slender blonde, who seeing that look, grabbed the package and ran into the bathroom to get changed. When he finally came out of the bathroom dressed in the close fitting outfit, it was apparent it had been made for 'this' Mage as the chest while cut in the same low cut pattern of the girls, fit snuggly to the slender male's without the extra material it would have needed to accommodate the well endowed female. In his ears sparkled Sapphire earrings a silver choker brought the Ninja's attention to his slim neck and collarbone.

He wasn't in it very long, but Kurogane made sure not to damage it when he removed it from blushing blonde. If he had his way Fai would be wearing it a lot.

Watching the Moon as it made its way across the sky the Powerful Witch of Dimensions stood lost in thought. These children resting now in this world, along with those searching in other the worlds, their hearts drawing ever closer, the bonds forming and strengthening between them. All in preparation for the day that was coming, that must come, and then beyond that, if the worlds were to move forward once again, and the balance restored.

------

AN: In the 'Price of Balance' the Twins have True Soul names beside that of the names of Yuui and Fai. Fai's is 'Corwin' I may have miss spelled Kurogane's real name I remember seeing it in the Manga. But for the life of me I couldn't find it today when I was looking. I hope you enjoyed this fluffy little two shot.


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